Arrest made in hit-and-run fatality

January 8, 2013

ST. CLAIRSVILLE - After nearly five months, an arrest has been made in an early August hit-and-run death that occurred on National Road, just east of St. Clairsville.

The St. Clairsville Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol announced Monday that Robert T. Green, 56, of St. Clairsville, was arrested Friday by the Belmont County Sheriff's Office and booked into the Belmont County Jail.

According to reports, he was released after posting a $250,000 bond.

Charges against Green include one count of aggravated vehicular homicide and one count of leaving the scene of a fatal crash.

Killed in the Aug. 8, 2012 accident, which occurred near the North Ebbert Road intersection, was 31-year-old Jason Cattane, of Bridgeport.

He was reportedly walking home after attending the funeral of a friend's mother.

The Belmont County Prosecutor's Office filed the charges and obtained the arrest warrant.

"Essentially, what we believe we have here is an innocent individual who is merely walking on the side of the road," said Belmont County Prosecutor Chris Berhalter.

This week marks the fifth month since the fatal crash. Berhalter explained why it took investigators almost five months to make an arrest.

"Any time you have a loss of life you want to proceed as quickly as possible," said Berhalter. "However, with every investigation, you have to be thorough. When you involve labs and getting tests run, unfortunately, that does take time."

The Belmont County grand jury indicted Green last Wednesday. Grand jury arraignments are scheduled for later this week.